2026 UND Football Season Thread

[Dustin]

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/college/5-observations-of-und-football-fall-camp-day-8

3. Kicking adventures

UND's field-goal kicking during the live setting wasn't pretty.

Kenten Laughman, Sawyer Riffle and Easton Choate combined to start the day 0-for-5, which included Riffle having a long attempt blocked at the line of scrimmage by edge Braden Mohr.

Laughman and Riffle each connected on short attempts later in practice.

The small sample size was still a discouraging sequence for a team in search of consistency in the kick game.

Laughman and Riffle are battling for starting roles, although it's possible the two split duties.

[UND-FB-FAN]

20 minutes ago, Undertherock said:

I'm curious where these dollars you speak of will come from?  Not ticket sales.  See NDSU.  Also see your small stadium with limited expansion potential. 

While there might be a few bucks from media rights, those dollars will disappear fast when the FB budget will need to double, or in the case of UND, maybe triple to get to a MWC or equivalent median.  

Not from the CFP.  You won't sniff it.  

NDSU has to double their FB budget.  They might have the scyophants, for now, to do it.  But they are in full bake sale mode to get there.  They were duped into propping up the failing MWC in the hopes that "if you play UTEP, they will come." They ain't coming.  NDSU ain't going to CFP, and even the $2m in media rights won't be there when NDSU becomes eligible.  When UNLV and AF bolt for the PAC and AAC respectively after 2032, MWC will my vying with MAC and CUSA for worst media deal.  The math ain't mathing.  

Pessimism from a South Dakota farm school guy is not surprising. 

There are numerous (and I mean numerous) opportunities for UND and UND football to expand their revenue. It’s just being tapped into. Good luck 

[Dustin]

I have mixed feelings going into football season.  I have no doubt UND will have a good season and is poised to make its first true deep run into the FCS playoffs, which is great.  But without having the chance to beat NDSU on the way makes anything we do less meaningful to me.  Even if we do win it all, which, again, would be great, there will be a little asterisk in my mind that we could only do it once NDSU voluntarily chose not to compete for it.

Is this the wrong outlook?

[AJS]

@Undertherock good post, I don't disagree with any of it.

FBS is just part of the equation for schools like NDSU, SDSU, UND, USD. The Summit League and its instability might be the bigger part. These two things could (likely?) to happen in the next few years. St. Thomas leaves for the Valley, NDSU takes all-sports to the MWC. When discussing $ and NDSU, we have to realize they don't operate like any other school in the country. For example, you'd think having decreased enrollment would put a strain on their budget. Think again. For this discussion, NDSU will never have to worry about $. With those two moves, the Summit is officially a bust. The teams that they are looking to backfill will bring zero value to any of the remaining Dakota schools (ex: Lindenwood). Adding flights to all sports with no appeal at all. Dakota schools are all officially in scramble mode. Which I think will look a bit like, write a $20 million dollar check (SDSU) and you're in the MWC. Where your school is in ok shape is, you'll have that option. If you can't, maybe UND will get a chance. 

The problem is sooner than later; it's either figure it out and spend (move up) or stay in the status quo which will be the FCS looking more and more like D2. 

What we've seen over the past 5 years and realignment, logic doesn't have a place in it. Either look to improve your situation or you'll look around in a few years and be in a much, much worse situation.

[AJS]

19 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

Pessimism from a South Dakota farm school guy is not surprising. 

There are numerous (and I mean numerous) opportunities for UND and UND football to expand their revenue. It’s just being tapped into. Good luck 

I don't think he was saying there's no way to increase revenue, but instead where is $25 million annually going to come from? Which seems like a fair question, but on the flip side, there's no doubt they'll figure it out (much like most others are able to do). 

[Kab]

Ndsu will be asking for the state to kick in money for football because they think it’s so valuable to north dakota

that better not happen 

[AJS]

@The Sicatoka should we move this topic to the Conference Realignment thread?

[UND-FB-FAN]

9 minutes ago, AJS said:

@The Sicatoka should we move this topic to the Conference Realignment thread?

I vote yes 

[UND-FB-FAN]

9 minutes ago, Kab said:

Ndsu will be asking for the state to kick in money for football because they think it’s so valuable to north dakota

that better not happen 

Of course, that is the primary issue all along with them moving up, to alter public perception and (try) run away from UND’s shadow. 

[gfhockey]

53 minutes ago, Dustin said:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/college/5-observations-of-und-football-fall-camp-day-8

3. Kicking adventures

UND's field-goal kicking during the live setting wasn't pretty.

Kenten Laughman, Sawyer Riffle and Easton Choate combined to start the day 0-for-5, which included Riffle having a long attempt blocked at the line of scrimmage by edge Braden Mohr.

Laughman and Riffle each connected on short attempts later in practice.

The small sample size was still a discouraging sequence for a team in search of consistency in the kick game.

Laughman and Riffle are battling for starting roles, although it's possible the two split duties.

Who is the st coach this year

[The Sicatoka]

39 minutes ago, AJS said:

@The Sicatoka should we move this topic to the Conference Realignment thread?

 

29 minutes ago, UND-FB-FAN said:

I vote yes 

All, 

Please do. Thanks.